Turkish historian’s TV show fined for insulting Kardashian, audience

ISTANBUL

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A Turkish TV show has been fined 600,000 Turkish Liras by the country’s media watchdog after a popular historian used insulting words against the audience and Hollywood celebrity Kim Kardashian, according to daily Milliyet.

Murat Bardakçı broadcast the French song “Sur Ma Vie” by Charles Aznavur while appearing live on a TV program on the private Habertürk station. However, when he read the audience’s reactions via social media, he noticed outrage at his playing “an Armenian song.”

“They say, ‘How dare you broadcast an Armenian song?’ Whoa, come on, that [song] is French. Okay, you don’t listen to it really, the song is in French, and the guy is Armenian," Bardakçı said during the show.

"You are stupid and an idiot. Why do you look at Kim Kardashian’s butt? She is Armenian, too,” he added.

The Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) said Bardakçı used an insulting manner while reacting to audience’s criticism over the broadcasting of Aznavur’s song, and fined Habertürk 600,000 liras for Bardakçı’s statements.

The watchdog said Bardakçı’s words “did not respect human honor and were insulting,” and also included slang.